Landships II

Thomas Buecheler · Captain

Barbed Wire in 1/35 scale

Roger Todd · Legend

I don't know about dimensions, but I saw this article on making wire a while ago:

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=107

You've probably already seen it, but it's there if you want.

Tim R · Hero

Hello Thomas

I scratch build my barbered wire. I take two strands of the thinnest wire you can find at your local Hobby Shop **34 gauge**, hook the two strands to a nail, nailed into a piece of wood, (I use a 2/4), attach them to the end of your Dremal tool, or your drill, and turn it on slow. This will twist your wire very tight, and to scale. Once finished with the twisting process, gut very short lengths of wire, (not sure of length, I eyeball it) and attach it ever so often on the twisted wire. I have a collection of Barbered Wire from the War, from each country involved, so do your research, if you want it accurate, that will help you with your spacing.

Good Luck

All the Best

Tim R

Tim R · Hero

Thats a good one Roger, about the same as I do it. maybe a better method.????

All the Best

Tim R

Roger Todd · Legend

I've never tried it myself, Tim, not having made a diorama (yet... *puts little finger in mouth in manner of Dr Evil*) but it looks pretty good to my untutored eye. Maybe it should go in the Hints 'n' Tips section? One for Peter K, methinks...

Tim R · Hero

I agree

Cheers

Tim R

eugene · Field Marshal

There is some good PE Barbed wire, but I think its too pricey, I believe its made by Part but I am not sure
making it from brass is better in my opinion

Thomas Buecheler · Captain

Hello Roger and Tim

Thank you very much for your hints!!! I'll try it soon. First I have to find thin wire, maybe that could be a problem...There is a silly question concerning the wire: I understand that the wire has to be as thin as possible, but what means "34 gauge"? I only know "gauge" in connection with railway matters like "narrow gauge". Sorry...

Thank you!
Thomas

Roger Todd · Legend

Hi Thomas,

This is a useful page, it shows wire gauges and their conversion into proper measurements (imperial and metric):

http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html

34 gauge would appear to be 0.16mm.

Now, I'm not sure where you're emailing from (Germany?) but in the UK you can get fuse wire (as distinct from actual glass-envelope fuses) in hardware and electrical goods shops. It comes as three different thicknesses of wire wrapped around a small piece of card around 3-inches square. The thinnest is for 5 amp fuses, and is very thin. I would imagine, but couldn't swear to it, that it would be ideal for making scale barbed wire. It's made from nichrome, if memory serves, and is a silvery colour (the thinnest wire I've ever used, though, is copper wire extracted from walkman-type earphones, and it's about as thin as a hair - it's ideal for rigging small scale aircraft). I should imagine you can get it in any country (unless it's just that we Brits are so backward we still use open fuses!).

Centurion · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

Hi Thomas, This is a useful page, it shows wire gauges and their conversion into proper measurements (imperial and metric): http://www.reade.com/Conversion/wire_gauge.html 34 gauge would appear to be 0.16mm. Now, I'm not sure where you're emailing from (Germany?) but in the UK you can get fuse wire (as distinct from actual glass-envelope fuses) in hardware and electrical goods shops. It comes as three different thicknesses of wire wrapped around a small piece of card around 3-inches square. The thinnest is for 5 amp fuses, and is very thin. I would imagine, but couldn't swear to it, that it would be ideal for making scale barbed wire. It's made from nichrome, if memory serves, and is a silvery colour (the thinnest wire I've ever used, though, is copper wire extracted from walkman-type earphones, and it's about as thin as a hair - it's ideal for rigging small scale aircraft). I should imagine you can get it in any country (unless it's just that we Brits are so backward we still use open fuses!).

Roger et al

I've long used fuse wire for rigging vacuform WWI aircraft models as you can roll it out into straight lengths on a piece of glass using a small steel ruler but its a bit over scale for 1/72. I've tried copper wire from the same sort of source as Roger has but it doesn't stay as rigid as a rolled out piece of nichrome (and the colour is wrong and when painted it reverts to being over scale). I remember in the long distant pass there used to be such a thing as 2 amp and even 1 amp fuse wire but today all I get in electrical shops if I ask for it is a funny look - has any one else any knowledge of where one might get this?